Independent conductive tape dispensing system for manufacturing of electrical distribution circuits in vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for applying individual tapes in layers onto a substrate includes a plurality of reels, applicators, and a guide member. A first reel holds a first tape and a second reel holds a second tape. A first applicator includes a first pressure surface that receives the first tape from the first reel and presses the first tape in a direction toward the substrate to apply the first tape to the substrate. The second applicator includes a second pressure surface that receives the second tape from the second reel. The second pressure surface is aligned to dispense the second tape over a section of the first tape applied to the substrate and to press the second tape toward the substrate to apply the second tape over the first tape. The guide member is disposed between the reels and the applicators and aligns the first and second tapes during application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for applying a plurality of individual tapes in layers onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of reels including a first reel configured to hold a first tape and a second reel configured to hold a second tape; 
 a plurality of applicators including a first applicator and a second applicator, the first applicator including a first pressure surface configured to receive the first tape from the first reel and press the first tape in a direction toward the substrate to apply the first tape to the substrate, the second applicator including a second pressure surface configured to receive the second tape from the second reel, the second pressure surface aligned to dispense the second tape over a section of the first tape applied to the substrate and to press the second tape in the direction toward the substrate to apply the second tape to the substrate over the first tape; and 
 at least one guide member disposed between the plurality of reels and the plurality of applicators and configured to align the first and second tapes during application, 
 wherein the first applicator includes a pair of first application rollers, wherein the first pressure surface is a cylindrical surface of one of the pair of first application rollers, wherein the pair of first application rollers are positioned to compress the first tape between the first pressure surface and a cylindrical surface of a second one of the pair of first application rollers, wherein the second applicator includes a pair of second application rollers, wherein the second pressure surface is a cylindrical surface of a one of the pair of second application rollers, wherein the pair of second application rollers are positioned to compress the second tape between the second pressure surface and a cylindrical surface of a second one of the pair of second application rollers. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a first cutter disposed between the first reel and the first applicator and configured to cut the first tape, and a second cutter disposed between the second reel and the second applicator and configured to cut the second tape. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising a controller configured to control the first cutter and the second cutter independently of each other. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising a pair of first feed rollers and a pair of second feed rollers, the first feed rollers being disposed between the first reel and the first cutter and configured to feed the first tape into the first cutter, at least one of the first feed rollers being motorized, the second feed rollers being disposed between the second reel and the second cutter and configured to feed the second tape into the second cutter, at least one of the second feed rollers being motorized. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide member includes a first guide member that extends from the first reel toward the first applicator and a second guide member that extends from the second reel to the second applicator. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first guide member, the second guide member, or both the first guide member and the second guide member has a guide surface along which the first tape or the second tape slides and a guide wall that extends from the guide surface to define a guide track. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising the first tape and the second tape, wherein one of the first tape and the second tape is a conductive material and the other of the first tape and the second tape is a dielectric material. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first applicator further includes a first motor drivingly coupled to at least one roller of the pair of first application rollers, wherein the second applicator further includes a second motor drivingly coupled to at least one roller of the pair of second application rollers. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising a controller configured to control the first motor independently of the second motor. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 8  further comprising a pair of first feed rollers and a pair of second feed rollers, the first feed rollers being disposed between the first reel and a first cutter and configured to feed the first tape into the first cutter, at least one of the first feed rollers being motorized, the second feed rollers being disposed between the second reel and a second cutter and configured to feed the second tape into the second cutter, at least one of the second feed rollers being motorized. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first reel and the second reel are coaxially disposed about a reel axis, wherein each roller of the pair of first application rollers and each roller of the pair of second application rollers is disposed about a corresponding roller axis that is parallel to the reel axis. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first reel is configured to hold tape of a first width and the second reel is configured to hold tape of a second width that is greater than the first width. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of reels includes a third reel configured to hold a third tape of a third width that is greater than the first width, wherein the plurality of applicators includes a third applicator including a third pressure surface configured to receive the third tape from the third reel and to press the third tape in the direction toward the substrate to apply the third tape to the substrate, wherein the first applicator is configured to align the first tape over a section of the third tape applied to the substrate, wherein the apparatus further comprising a third cutter configured to cut the third tape. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13  further comprising the first tape, the second tape, and the third tape, wherein the third tape is a dielectric material, the first tape is a conductive material, and the second tape is a dielectric material. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for applying a plurality of individual tapes in layers onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of reels including a first reel holding a first tape wound about the first reel and a second reel holding a second tape wound about the second reel; 
 a plurality of applicators including:
 a first applicator including a first application roller and a first motor drivingly coupled to the first application roller and configured to draw the first tape from the first reel onto a first pressure surface of the first application roller, the first pressure surface being disposed about a first axis and configured to apply the first tape to the substrate; and 
 a second applicator including a second application roller and a second motor drivingly coupled to the second application roller and configured to draw the second tape from the second reel onto a second pressure surface of the second application roller, the second pressure surface being disposed about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, the second pressure surface being aligned with the first pressure surface in an application direction to apply the second tape to the substrate over the first tape; 
 
 at least one guide ramp disposed between the plurality of reels and the plurality of applicators and configured to align the first and second tapes during application; 
 a first cutter disposed between the first reel and the first applicator and configured to cut the first tape; and 
 a second cutter disposed between the second reel and the second applicator and configured to cut the second tape, 
 wherein one of the first tape and the second tape is an electrically conductive material and the other of the first tape and the second tape is a dielectric material. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 15  further comprising a controller in communication with the first motor, the second motor, the first cutter, and the second cutter, wherein the controller is configured to control the first motor and the second motor independently of each other and to control the first cutter and the second cutter independently of each other. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first reel and the second reel are coaxially disposed about a reel axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel to the reel axis. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 15  further comprising a pair of first feed rollers and a pair of second feed rollers, the first feed rollers being disposed between the first reel and the first cutter and configured to feed the first tape into the first cutter, at least one of the first feed rollers being motorized, the second feed rollers being disposed between the second reel and the second cutter and configured to feed the second tape into the second cutter, at least one of the second feed rollers being motorized. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of reels includes a third reel holding a third tape wound about the third reel, wherein the plurality of applicators includes a third applicator including a third application roller and a third motor drivingly coupled to the third application roller and configured to draw the third tape from the third reel onto a third pressure surface of the third application roller, the third pressure surface being disposed about a third axis that is parallel to the first axis and the second axis, wherein the first pressure surface is aligned with the third pressure surface in the application direction and disposed between the second pressure surface and the third pressure surface in the application direction. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus for applying a plurality of individual tapes in layers onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of reels including a first reel configured to hold a first tape and a second reel configured to hold a second tape; and 
 a plurality of applicators including:
 a first applicator including a first application roller defining a first pressure surface disposed about a first axis and configured to apply the first tape to the substrate; and 
 a second applicator including a second applicator roller defining a second pressure surface disposed about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, the second pressure surface being aligned with the first pressure surface in an application direction to apply the second tape to the substrate over the first tape, wherein the first and second application rollers are motor driven to draw the first tape from the first reel onto the first pressure surface and to draw the second tape from the second reel onto the second pressure surface.